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Hello everyone,
I’ve had another blog hiatus and maybe need to get into a better routine!! To avoid this being a bumper edition I will just pick out some highlights.
· House-the trials and tribulations
· House-sitting in Pliego
· Visits from the girls
· Walking and keeping active
· Estacion Inglesa
· Trip to the UK
I am writing this in the motor home in Cabo de gata, Almeria, one of our favourite parts of the coastline. We have come away for a break from the frustrations of getting the house sorted and to have a bit of time on our own. We both feel refreshed after five days of walking and cycling and eating much more healthily, more of that later. Although getting on the bike on Thursday was my first real time since October, and it wasn’t helped by problems with a wobbly tyre and intermittent braking!!
Our plan for Casas Nuevas was firstly for me to become joint owner with Chris and then for us to alter it and create a second floor with a big outside terrace to give us more outdoor living space. We started the
planning in October and knew the house would be empty for 6 weeks from 1
st March when we were away house-sitting. An ideal time for a builder to start the work.
I signed for the house on 24
th February after a last minute panic about a translator, thanks to Joaquina for stepping into the breach! It was not without its problems to do with transferring money using modern techniques like the internet but let’s not go there.
The process of getting work done officially in Spain is tortuous which is why so many people just don’t bother and then just pay the fine. However we decided to do it the official way and get an architect, licences etc I won’t bore you with the whole of the story .We now have an 800 page project plan (in Spanish) signed off by the architect’s college and a licence from the town hall. The safety plan had to be signed off by someone in Murcia City and the company removing the roof also need a licence for this work. Chris got so frustrated by the whole process he went and removed the small back roof with help from our friend
Tony.
So on a positive note work has started and we know our builder Juan Antonio will do an excellent job as we have seen his work. We hope to go back to Casas Nuevas later this week to see how things are progressing.
Our six weeks of house-sitting in nearby Pliego for Tony and Sue flew over. We looked after the dogs Timmy and Harli and stayed in their house while they had a trip of a lifetime to Australia. Both of my girls came out and stayed, they loved the extra space and their ensuite room but missed the village feel of Casas Nuevas. Idg and Keith came for a week and we had time to go up to the ice house in the Espuna, to do a walk, to see Cartagena and enjoy delicious croquetas and had a trip to Molino del Rio just to sample some beer......it’s a beautiful old place in the middle of nowhere. Amy and Rob just did a short Saturday to Tuesday break and we fitted in a visit to the Bullas artisan market, Sunday meal in Casas Nuevas and a trip to Cartagena for the military museum for Rob.
Once the housesit was over we stayed two more nights and then headed up to Biar in Alicante province as we had signed up as English native speakers with a company called Estacion Inglesa. They offer intensive courses in English for Spanish people. We stayed in a lovely hotel in a pretty village, made more interesting by the fact it was Easter. There were 24 people in total, 12 Spaniards and 12 native English speakers, although 3 were from the US!! It was hard work as even mealtimes were opportunities for learning for people. There were some interesting characters and I enjoyed getting to know a bit more about life in different parts of Spain and their motivation for learning English. Most wanted to improve their career prospects but two, Julia and Octavio were just doing it for themselves. For Chris and me the idea of “work” was a bit of a culture shock after our usual routine but it is good to stretch yourself and we would do it again.
We have continued to try and get to the gym regularly and I much prefer classes to the “gym” but the facilities are good and the people
friendly. I have struggled with shoulder problems for months and one of the trainers is a chiro-masseur. I decided to give it a try and after only two treatments my shoulder was so much better. I have some exercises to do and need to ice it after a lot of use but it aches much less, the cause is tendonitis.
Which leads me on nicely to my recent trip to the UK; when I had a great time catching up with people. I met my lovely friend Julie for a glass of fizz to celebrate her wedding later in the week. I enjoyed some time with Vicki, including a meal with the girls and their partners, and a quiz with fish and chips. On my final day we celebrated her 70
th birthday with Imogen and Amy at a “ladies that lunch” with unlimited prosecco. I met up with Sue Taylor and Jane Mulholland for a night out in Tynemouth and as always there was hardly time to eat and drink we talked so much.
I had coffee with my friend Anne who has a lovely bungalow in East Boldon and continues to enjoy life; she is off soon
on a Baltic cruise and is planning a trip to the Golden triangle in India.
I had some free virgin rail tickets so had a lovely overnight stay in York with just my girls and we had a delicious French meal and then afternoon tea the next day. York was beautiful in the spring but we did have hail and snow!!
The main purpose of my visit to the UK was to see a lipid specialist at the RVI in Newcastle. I probably have a hereditary type of hypercholesterolemia where cholesterol is raised after the menopause. My cholesterol is slowly rising and is now 9 and I have started taking statins. Luckily the hospital visit was after most of the celebrations etc but since then I have completely changed how I am eating and it is staggering how complacent we have become over the years. I love to cook so will continue to be creative but with more fish and chicken and conscious of the fat and salt content of many foods. The 5 a day and getting soluble fibre is the easy part!! The most difficult part will be sustaining it and cutting my alcohol intake down
to only 14 units!!
So what next?? Tomorrow we are heading up the cost a bit to Calnegre to check out a place on the beach and then Thursday will head back to the house and probably park Henry in the village overnight. Then we will spend a bit of time on a campsite in Bullas until it is time to head north. We have a ferry booked for 23
rd May and depending on when we leave we will either go up through Rioja to Bilbao or via Burgos.
Once back in the UK we will be anxiously wait for updates on the build but more of that next time!!
Best wishes and always good to hear your news.
Norma xx
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